A/N: This is it, guys! The last chapter is finally here! I'll admit beforehand that I may've rushed the ending a bit (you'll see what I mean when you get there) but that's okay. The tale of how Rose obtained her legendary reputation is over and I'm glad it's over. Next up is a crossover fic involving the Gems once again. See you soon!

When Rose arrived back on Earth, her Gem and humans friends were ecstatic to see her again. She ran to them, eager to let them know where the hell she'd been and what had happened to her.

"Oh, Rose!" Pearl cried out with joy. "Thank God you're back! What have you been doing this whole time?"

"I had to meet up with the Pantheon because I was desperate to find a solution," Rose explained. "Malachite had four of his fellow gods give me their powers so I could stop her myself."

"...what?"

"Yes, I'm serious."

"Rose, are you sure you should be using their powers like that?"

"Please don't worry, my Pearl. They know I will never use them unless it's absolutely necessary to do so."

"Alright, I believe you." Pearl sighed heavily, knowing fully well what the ramifications of such a thing could be. "But please be careful out there. I don't want to lose you."

"I know."

The two Gems embraced each other tightly as if this would be the last time they'd ever see each other again, and then Rose walked off to come face-to-face with Zirconia, who'd been taken aback by her very presence.

"Zirconia?" Rose called out to her. "Can you hear me?"

Zirconia turned her head to look at the pink Gem. "Who are you?!" she demanded.

"I'm Rose Quartz. I just want to talk to you."

"Talk?! I don't have time to talk to you! I've got things to destroy!"

"I know, but we can make time."

"Why make time when I could destroy it? I'm going to vaporize everything... starting with YOU!" She then proceeded to blast an energy ball at her opponent, sending her flying by about seven feet.

"I just want to help you, Zirconia," Rose pleaded. "Please let me in."

Everyone, including the Minoans, was amazed by what they were seeing. They couldn't believe that the pink-haired Gem wasn't trying to fight back at all, much less using an attack. Rose, on the other hand, knew they were watching her and she knew they expected her to make a move; as for Zirconia, she was more pissed off than ever and she was fully intent on using her energy to destroy the one they called Rose Quartz.

"Listen to me, Zirconia," Rose continued to beg. "I know you've been through a lot in your life, but you're not a monster. You never were!"

"What's that make me then, hmm?" Zirconia sneered as she materialized a laser anaconda whip out of nowhere and started strangling her.

"A victim of circumstance." Rose whimpered as she felt the whip tighten itself around her neck. "Please believe me when I say it's not your fault."

"Then whose is it?!"

"It was your friend... Zoisite."

"How...can...you...SAY THAT?!" Zirconia then raised her weapon up into the air and threw her foe down into the ground. "He's said he loves me! I heard him myself and you should never doubt that!" She then pressed her foot down into Rose's back. "You say you're trying to help me? Tut! Here's how I'll show my gratitude." She raised her foot and prepared to stomp down on her head when suddenly, Rose began to glow and pick herself up off the ground.

"R-Rose?" Pearl asked shakily.

"I know what has to be done now," Rose muttered. "Mother, please forgive me for what I'm about to do."

She then grabbed onto Zirconia's wrists and began to suck out as much power from Pumice's corset as she could. The blonde Gem was too shaken with fear to really try to do anything, much less fight back; instead, she proceeded to mewl as she felt the pink Gem drain the godlike abilties out of her body and into her own gem. Strangely, as she gradually lost more and more of this energy, she began to feel more placid and lethargic. To say that she no longer felt hopeful about her situation would've been an understatement, but just a few seconds after the process was completed, the Gem who had conquered her proved her wrong.

"I'm sorry I had to do that, Zirconia," Rose apologized with every bit of sincerity in her body. "But it was for the best."

"What do you mean by that?" she asked while starting to blubber.

"De-powering you was the only way I had to stop you without having to kill you." Rose said. "Please, take my hand now."

"W-Why?"

"I'd like to be your friend. I won't mistreat you or use you for my own selfish needs, I promise."

"R-Really? Is that why Zoisite gave me that corset?"

"That's right. Now come on. You're one of us now."

Zirconia grabbed Rose's hand and then began to cry into her shoulder. Everybody watching was stunned. The belligerent Minoans were especially impressed by how calm Rose seemed to be throughout the whole thing; even during their most peaceful era, they never could've imagined one of their own handling a situation quite like this.

"That was not what I expected," Pearl said to her pink-haired crush. "But apparently it worked. Kudos."

"You're not the only one who doubted her, you know," Khaidarkanite interjected. "I wanted her to just fling her off to another dimension."

"Well," Rose began to speak. "They'd have to face the same problem we had, so it wouldn't have worked. The important thing, though, is that another crisis was averted."

"I'll drink to that!" Khaidarkanite concurred.

And from that day forward, Zirconia would prove to be one of the most durable, not to mention useful, Crystal Gems of them all.